Consult the locations regarding the future of a Buddhist temple.
Immersion in the heart of Kyoto's Hōnen-in temple
Invited by Kyoto's Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)

Hōnen-in: A Temple in search of continuity
Kyoto's Hōnen-in temple is a place of profound historical and spiritual richness, sustained by the prayers and devotion of its community for centuries. Its garden, meticulously tended for over 600 years, bears witness to an ancestral bond and the support of past generations.
Today, however, the Hōnen-in faces a challenge as families move away and don't always return to care for the ancestral tombs, the link with the site weakens. Although the Hōnen-in has not yet reached a crisis, temple officials wonder about these uncertainties.
- How do you maintain links with the site when families disperse?
- How can the temple ensure its future without its traditional supporters?

It is in this context that the "constellation of all beings" proposes tolisten to the place itself, through its many non-human actors, in order to reflect on the continuity of Hōnen-in. The intention is clear: to include the other-than-human point of view, through experiences shared by a small group and based on connection to this singular place.
The Experience at Hōnen-in
The practice of "constellation of all beings" invites us to a deep, sensory exploration of the dynamics that animate a place. It's not simply a matter of trying out new sensations, but ofdeepening our awareness of the latent dimensions that emerge from our present experiences, opening ourselves up to the joy and curiosity of unexpected perceptions. It's a way of collectively learning new questions. This transformative approach, inspired by Joanna Macy's "work that connects" and systemic constellations, seeks to create the conditions for a "thickening of experience". The experience at Hōnen-in unfolds in a structured way, allowing for progressive immersion:
- Initial questioning: The session begins with a clear formulation of the question the group wishes to clarify, in relation to the temple's continuity challenges.
- Reading the terrain: Before entering the constellation, time is set aside for a collective exploration of the environment, with a group walk through the carefully tended garden.
- Presentation of entities: The group gathers and the various entities, human and non-human, that make up the site are presented. These entities may be the garden's ancient trees, ancestral stones, local animals, the water in the streams, or even the spirits of the place.
- Autonomous placement and exploration: Participants are then invited to "enter the circle" and spontaneously take their place, representing these different entities. It's not a question of "playing a role", but of letting oneself live from the state of this otherness, experiencing the local parameters and their effects on emotions and behavior.
- Movement and exploration of sensations: Participants explore sensations and interactions between different entities, repositioning themselves if necessary. This is a dynamic process in which latent dimensions of place can emerge.
- Revisiting and formulating hypotheses: The practice concludes with a collective debriefing. This is the moment to look back on the experience, to share perceptions, emotions and inner movements. This sharing enables us to formulate hypotheses generated by the experience, constituting situated knowledge that is just as valid as more general knowledge.
An exercise in embodying our earthly condition
Through the decentering and displacement it induces in the apprehension and interpretation of a complex situation, through the sensitive involvement and empathetic expression of feelings, this practice constitutes an astonishing exercise in the incorporation of our earthly condition. It enables participants to develop embodied knowledge and mutual support, paving the way for territorial dialogues to devise proposals and accompany the transformation of the environment and its inhabitants.